Locked down areas in Baguio decrease

By Gaby B. Keith

BAGUIO CITY — – The number of areas in his summer capital under granular lockdown  decreased, said City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) chief Antonette Anaban.
    In recent committee meeting, local officials led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Anaban bared from Sept. 28 to Oct, 4, only 18 areas in 13 barangays were on lockdown as part of the city’s anti-Covid-19 Delta variant contingency plan.
    This, compared to 36 areas in 20 barangays locked down from September 21 to 27; 58 areas in 41 barangays, Sept. 14 to 20; and 62 areas in 42 barangays under lock down from Sept. 7 to 13.
    She said the decrease in lock downs ties up with the report of Health Services Office head Dr. Rowena Galpo the number of Covid-19 recoveries in the city have increased prompting lifting of lock down orders.
    The mayor’s directive for facility isolation instead of home quarantine for those tested positive whose houses are not suitable for isolation purposes also added to the decrease, Anaban said, with some volunteering to have themselves isolated in the facilities.
    She said the city will continue to impose granular lockdowns on its puroks, streets, establishments, houses, or compounds that are found to have critical clusters of Covid-19 infections and low compliance to minimum public health standards.   
    The lockdowns will allow authorized and trained personnel to conduct contact tracing and disinfection activities and also prevent the possible spread of infection, Anaban said.
    She said the city government will stockpile and preposition food packs for locked down areas.
    Procurement of food packs  will be taken from the city’s P1 million quick response fund and P5 million supplemental budget, Anaban said.
    If needed, food packs may also be requested from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, she added.